Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Burda Trouser Muslin, Take 2: Pants that (essentially!) fit

- so I decided to trace that pattern for my second try at a pants muslin - this time in the size 38. They were easy to put together and fit rather well:

The front is a bit tight in the waist (the gathers are pulling), and perhaps in the crotch as is there a bit of whiskering there:

But the back, IMHO, fits dead-on:

Looking at the magazine picture, I think these pants could have been made in the next size up, as the fit is rather slouchy in the model shot:

As the pants are now, to be honest, I don't love the gathers.

The back fits so well, though, and the leg's wide shape is perfection: fitted enough through the thigh, but with a nice, wide flare. Could I change the double gathers to 2 darts? Any online tutorials or book resources out there that give instruction on how to do this? I believe that I've seen how to add gathers instead of darts, but no information on how to do the reverse...

So can you believe that I sewed a pair of pants (well, a muslin)? I am so happy! I see a whole new world of well-fitting pants opening up to me...

32 comments:

I don't see why you couldn't change the pleats to darts-- you would just have to make sure the darts were wide enough at the top to take in all of the extra fullness.

Incidentally, those welt pockets look rather similar to the ones on the (also Burda) Frankenpattern shorts I'm currently making. I'm pretty sure I have that issue, so I'll have to check and see if the instructions on that one are any more decipherable than the ones I'm using. Had to stop sewing for the day because I got stuck on how to actually get the pocket in there. :P

I do this all the time, change pleats to darts, because I am like you and hate pleats. I haven't found a tut for it, but I measure the pleat if it's a one inch then I make a dart one inch. Just an idea. Good luck, let me know if you find a tutorial. Would love to see it. Your pants look really good. Can't believe the fit. You look awesome. I think I need to buy some burda patterns.

I changed two pleats (tucks) to one dart on the TNT pattern I've been working with. I measured the placement of darts on a pair of RTW pants to know where to put the dart. Worked pretty well for me. I think your pants look great.

They do fit very, very well in the back! The front isn't bad either, especially if you change the pleat to darts. I haven't figured out how to adjust pants sensibly yet. I have found that you can cut one size for the front and another size for back with no problems. Any extra fabric easily eases in.

These are looking really good! Like others have said above - just unpick out the stitching on the gathers and pinch-out/pin-in new front darts by hand. You can eyeball the new darts in the mirror as you go maybe? (A bit like in this picture from Threads magazine's article on Drape a Skirt Sloper'. Even though the article is about skirts the bits about darts around the waist should apply equally well to trousers IMHO :)

The dart should be pretty easy - turn the pants inside out and place the dart so it takes up the "extra" fabric between the waist and then point that the pants start to fit. Since kids I've had to move my darts more towards the side seams - I need more fabric over the center tummy area but not so much closer to the hip bone (hope that makes sense).

Well, my advice would be to redraft the top front of those pants to be flat fronted and have no pleats or darts. But you are right, the fit is fantastic otherwise, and although the style looks quite different from the original photo you are going to end up with a gorgeously flattering pair of pants.

Hello, I found your blog recently and love what you sew! For you pleats... yes, you can change pleats to darts. As another commenter mentioned, you would normally keep the same measurement. One inch pleats to one inch dart. Or two half inch darts, etc. You'll just need to measure (by fit) how long to make your dart. And since you think your pleats are pulling, this would be a good chance to adjust your fit. Maybe take in less of a dart? Love the pants! Rachel

Those pants are perfect! I don't know of a tutorial for changing pleats to a dart but I'm a fan of the pinch and pin method of fitting. Take out the stitching on the pleats and just pinch and pin until you get a fit you like. Darts don't have to be perfectly tapered straight either. Sometimes darts curve to fit your body better. Two darts instead of just one is an option. You have a flat tummy so it might take more work to hide the pleats. (I just use 2 darts over my tummy bulge on each side. For once, being fat makes life easier.) Also, you can ease some of the fabric into the waistband as well. If the fabric is cotton, or other natural fiber, you can also steam shrink some of the fullness out.

I think changing the pleats to darts should resolve the issue. The fit across the seat is amazing. I really like this pattern, but have similar trousers included in suit pattern that I've ordered - save all that tracing!

I hope it works to convert the gathers to darts. From the photos, it doesn't appear that you need extra room--where your top covers the gathers the pants are smooth underneath. The shape looks great on you!

These fit you so well! If you have your shirt pulled over the top of the pants in front, it's hard to tell that the gathers are weird. Are you going to sew the waistband on? That might improve things too. ;)

OMG, I kid you not, those pants fit you PERFECTLY. Though I agree, you should remove the darts, you really don't need them. I think you can simply estimate how long the darts should be (wearing the pants), mark the dart center and draw new sarts where the pleats are (turn the pleat into a dart in other words). Or you could just remove the pleats, and pin darts while wearing the pants. Just do it ;-)!I think they look MUCH nicer on you than on the model in the magazine.